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Alphabet's Intra App Encrypts DNS Queries To Help Users Bypass Online Censorship (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

Catalin Cimpanu, writing for ZDNet: Jigsaw, a technology incubator created by Google and operated as a subsidiary under the Alphabet brand, has released today an Android app named Intra that can encrypt DNS queries as a protection against DNS manipulation at the ISP (internet service provider) level. DNS manipulation is one of the most common forms of online censorship used by oppressive regimes or unscrupulous ISPs, used to block access to news sites, information portals, social media platforms, undesirable software, and more. Intra protects against DNS manipulation by keeping DNS traffic hidden from third-parties with state-level surveillance capabilities, such as internet service providers in countries with autocratic regimes. Reports suggest that Alphabet tested the app with a few dozen political activists in Venezuela before the global roll-out.

9 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. Unless you're in China by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Where your DNS queries will be logged by Alphabet and turned over to the proper authorities for consideration, comrade.

  2. I thought this was a joke by CranberryKing · · Score: 3, Informative

    at first. Google? Fighting Censorship? Give us a break.

    1. Re:I thought this was a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's only to funnel the traffic to THEIR encrypted DNS network so THEY can gather all the metadata not the pesky governments (apart from a list of approved governments who get their share of course).

  3. Re:Most of those same countries restrict or outlaw by viperidaenz · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's not encrypted data sent in regular DNS queries, it's DNS over HTTPS. Like what Firefox started doing.
    From a network monitoring point of view, it's regular HTTPS traffic.

  4. Google Tracking by nuckfuts · · Score: 2

    So it's not enough that Google tracks you via web browsing, Android phones, search queries, gmail, etc. Now they want you to use their DNS so they can track EVERY connection you make over the Internet, regardless of whether it originates from one of their products.

    1. Re:Google Tracking by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 2

      So it's not enough that Google tracks you via web browsing, Android phones, search queries, gmail, etc. Now they want you to use their DNS so they can track EVERY connection you make over the Internet, regardless of whether it originates from one of their products.

      To be fair, unless you're running your own DNS server, someone is already processing, and probably tracking, all your DNS requests, be it Google, Cloudflare (another thing to disable in Firefox - thanks Mozilla), your ISP, etc ... depending on your network settings. I currently use my ISP (Cox) as my primary DNS resolver with Google's 8.8.8.8 as my secondary. I'm sure Cox logs and retains stuff (some of it as the law requires). Granted, using Google as your DNS resolver would give them *another* data set to track you with.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    2. Re:Google Tracking by khchung · · Score: 3, Interesting

      To be fair, unless you're running your own DNS server, someone is already processing, and probably tracking, all your DNS requests, be it Google, Cloudflare (another thing to disable in Firefox - thanks Mozilla), your ISP, etc ...

      This is NOT a fair comparison.

      Your ISP already knows the destination of every IP packet you sent out, using the ISP's DNS only provide a little bit more information (the hostname you used) to them.

      Most ISP do not have the analytics capabilities of Google, nor would most ISP correlation your internet activities across all your devices, INCLUDING THOSE NOT USING YOUR ISP'S LINK, such as your mobile phone.

      Claiming "someone" will get the data anyway is obscuring the fact that Alphabet's main business as a data broker. My data scattered around 10 different companies gave me better privacy than having the same data collected by Google.

      --
      Oliver.
    3. Re:Google Tracking by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

      No actually, they let you freely configure the DNS server of your choice. It seems to come with Google and Cloudflare pre-configured but there is an option to enter any server you like.

      There is actually a screenshot of the configuration screen showing this in TFA.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  5. At least you can change DNS Servers by CanadianMacFan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    From the article:

    "Intra is easy to install and run right away, and comes pre-configured to funnel encrypted DNS queries to Google's DoH-capable DNS servers by default. Users can also switch to Cloudflare's DNS system, or use a custom DoH-capable server as well."

    Though only two browsers support this so I don't know why you would use it. Just use a VPN and everything from every app would be hidden.